Yugioh: A Teenagers Tale Part Three
by punkrocka23
Summary: Here it is at last. The final installment of this three part series. Will Tea and Yugi finally unite? Read to find out! Currently on hiatus. Trying to figure out how to continue it


**After much labor and complicated problems with my job and computer, the third part of Yugioh: A Teenagers Tale is up at last, beginning with Joey Wheeler at his mother's wedding. Details will be filled in later. If you have any questions, review or PM me. Please review to tell me what you think. If you are confused read the first two parts of this story which shouldn't be too hard to find. Please review! :) Otherwise, enjoy the story.**

**-Punkrocka23**

Chapter 21. The Wedding

Joey Wheeler stood like a scarecrow in a tailor shop being measured for a wedding he had long dreaded. His temper was and he felt very irritated.

"So tell me dad" he said. "This weddings in Brooklyn, so why the hell did we have to go all the way to Queens to get tailored for Tux I'm only gonna wear once for a wedding I don't even wanna go to?"

His dad barely glanced up from the newspaper he was reading.

"Because here, I get half off on a regular Tux than I would from those guinea pricks back in Bensonhurst, which the nearest tailor shop resides in the old neighborhood. So deal wit it."

Joey conceded defeat as the tailor measured him and brought out a Tux for him to try on.

"Damn! Yankees lost again!" his dad muttered turning the page.

Joey eyed his father. "Dad why the hell are you comin to this thing anyway? There's no to be here. Ma even said she'd understand if you didn't wanna go."

His dad grunted in response. "She only said that so I wouldn't go. I'm no idiot, I know she doesn't want me there. But I'm no giving her that satisfaction. I wanna be there when she says '_I do'. _

Joey privately thought that going to a wedding for spite defeated the whole purpose of going, but said nothing of it. His dad was to a stubborn an Irishman.

"Come back to the back" said the tailor, who led Joey off the stand to the back of the store.

Fifteen minutes later, he came back out in a full black and white tuxedo.

"What'dya think pop? Not too shabby eh?"

"You look like a regular stud m'boy" replied his father giving a chuckle.

As Joey twisted and turned in the mirror looking at his reflection his dad spoke again.

"By the way, while you were in the back your motha called."

"Yeah what she want?" Joey asked not concerned, still admiring himself in the big tall mirror.

"She uh apparently, wants you to lead her down the aisle during the procession instead of me."

Joey turned around and faced his father.

"Why me?"

"Well for one thing, her father is too sick to even stand, much less walk anyone down a church. Second of all, she hates my guts," he said this giving a small smile, as if the thought were some funny joke in a cartoon. "And third of all, it's all part of her big plan to get you to live with her."

Joey snorted. "She's got another thing comin."

"Hey it's what you want kid. Not what I want. Feel free to stay or go. She is your mother after all, even if she is whacked."

Joey was impressed by his dad's rare display of maturity, but it didn't make him feel better. He officially felt trapped. His dad wasn't making an effort to keep him or even fight for him. To make matters worse the pressure to rejoin his mother hadn't subsided.

But Patrick Wheeler said no more on the subject.

"So does everything fit? Nothing out of proportion?"

"Nope"

"What ya say? Keeper?"

"Yeah sure"

His dad folded his paper, got up and went to the counter to pay. As Joey went back to change back into his regular clothes he asked. "Hey where's Serenity at?"

"I let her loose with your Aunt Mary. She's shopping for flower-girl dresses. You know ya sista, she's got ADD when it comes to shopping. She also said she was gettin you a manicure for the big day." His dad snickered at the last comment.

Joey smacked his hand to his face. "Goddamn it Serenity!" he muttered to himself. "Why you gotta be so naïve?"

He stared at himself in the mirror in his tux one more time and sighed heavily.

_Shit, this is going to be a long week._

"Goddamn this thing is heavy!"

Joey and his two (of many) cousins Marky and Ricky were lifting the bride and grooms table into position for the wedding. His mother was supervising it with a hired planner, much to their dismay.

"Move it to the right! The right Joey!"

"Ma I know my directions!" grunted Joey, very annoyed at this point in time.

As they moved the heavy table to where his mother wanted it Marky remarked,

"Your ma's a nut Joe. All of this pain in my fingers for a fuckin table."

"Why don't you quit talking and start movin Boston boy" replied Joey in equal distress due to the table.

Marky looked down at Joey's sparkly fingernails.

"Nice manicure faggot. Did your little sister make you do that or are you coming out of the closet?"

"You wanna go asshole?"

"Will you guys shut up and set this damn thing down!" shouted Ricky, who was on the verge of collapsing.

With one big effort they all set down the enormous table and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Excellent boys, just where I want it" his mother exclaimed giving a thumbs up. Satisfied, she turned around to talk to the hired wedding planner.

Joey and his cousins were all breathing heavily. "This weddings more trouble than it's worth" said Ricky, leaning against the table they had just set down.

"I'll go straight to hell before your mom makes us do any more work" said Marky grumpily.

They had been helping all week with setting up for the big wedding. It was to be on the Church grounds after the ceremony. St. John's was so spacious and the garden was so beautiful, they had decided to have the reception right outside and not bother with transportation.

The "helping" had included moving cakes, food, tables, chairs, etc. among other things onto the lawn and into the chapel (St. John's Catholic Church) for hours at a time. Joey didn't mind a little manual labor, but the way his mom kept ordering them about was unbearable.

They were currently setting up on the lawn outside. The tent had been put up and the way so many workers were scurrying around, Joey thought it could be mistaken for a construction site.

"Man I can't wait for this thing to be over and go home" said Marky shaking his head. "What about you Joe?"

Joey was about to reply when he saw Jack Schneider come in and kiss his mother on the lips. He looked very happy and almost a little smug as he laughed along with his mom and her friends. All of a sudden they caught each other's eye. Joey quickly turned away.

"I don't know Marky. I don't even know what or where home is at this point."

Marky and Ricky looked puzzled but said nothing more.

"C'mon Rick muttered. "We can still get away while your mom's gettin tongued."

Joey, even with his cousin's choice of words, agreed. They slipped away behind the tent, but not before Joey shot Jack another filthy look, the man who was currently making his life such a roller coaster ride.

The wedding would be the big drop.

The night before the wedding, Saturday, March 19th Joey could not sleep. His mind was simply too busy, which even surprised himself. All he could do was stare at the ceiling, right at his old poster of Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams. He had to admit he liked his old room better, even if it looked like it belonged to nine year old. At least it had a bed that was upright (and not a mattress with a bunch of rustled sheets and blankets that smelled funky).

That was back when his parents were still together and could use both of their annual salaries to afford better stuff. It seemed like such a long time ago. Never in a million years did he dream he'd end up in a situation like this. Caught between two parents, two lives: the old one and the new one.

Joey remembered what his mom had said to him earlier while out to lunch with her.

_"Come back to Brooklyn. To your old home with your old friends and your old life. Please Joseph, I've gone too long without you."_

Joey thought this was mostly garbage. He believed his mom loved him, but it wasn't love that was compelling her to invite Joey back into her life. It was grief, jealousy, anger, hurt, and a thirst for revenge on her ex-husband.

Despite all of this it was a lure he could not ignore. Family was important to him, as in every Irish-American family. His dad's words came back now- _It's what you want kid._

They spelled his final doom. His dad wasn't gonna fight for him. Who would? His mom had him in her web. Her plan had worked. He couldn't decide, so she would decide for him. It was over. Then for some reason, Yugi popped inside of his head: _"I don't believe for a second this is the end Joey."_

But Joey knew at last that it was. And with that thought, he at long last fell asleep.

The day of the wedding arrived- Sunday, March 21st, 2011, the first day of spring. It sure felt like it too. Birds were singing, the air was warm, trees were budding out flowers, and the sun was shining like it only could in spring time.

But on a beautiful day like this, Joey had never felt worse. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help feeling so down. As soon as the wedding was done, as soon as the magic words were said, he would never see Domino again. He closed his eyes and envisioned his friends. 

_I'll miss you _he thought.

Just then a hand clapped his shoulder. He turned around to see his dad. He was wearing his best Tux and looked very well groomed indeed. He was also smiling, "Ready sport?" he asked.

In the face of his dad's sincere smile Joey grinned back and replied "Let's do it dad."

Standing right outside along with all the invited guests who were chattering amongst themselves, Joey and his father walked up to the heavy wooden doors of the church (it was over 100 years old ) and pulled them open. This was exactly at eleven o'clock in the morning. The bells chimed loudly and immediately everyone began to file in.

It took about five minutes for everyone to go on, with about several others pulling up at the last second. Then they shut the giant oak doors on the beautiful outside day.

The usual wedding theme music began playing, which signaled the procession to begin. Joey had to stay behind with his sister for the procession but his dad needed to find a seat.

"Well I guess I better go sit my ass down huh?" he said.

Joey nodded, really didn't know what else to say.

His father looked at him directly now, putting his hand on his shoulder again.

"Listen Joey, it'll be alright. You're a good kid, and everything will turn out fine. You've had enough sense not to turn out like your old man, I'm sure you'll have enough sense to know what to after today."

Joey had never seen his dad like this, was very surprised, but touched. He swallowed a slight lump in his throat and said, "Thanks dad."

His dad nodded, looked like he wanted to say something else. He simply looked down, then tapped on the shoulder and left to find a place in the pews.

Just then he turned around and said, "Tell Serenity she'll always be my little girl."

He winked and walked off into the church, leaving Joey slightly surprised, but warm-hearted.

A few minutes later Serenity showed up along with the rest of the flower girls. She looked stunning in a pink dress that went slightly above her knees, matching high heels and her red hair looked especially shiny today with a flower to match.

"Hey big brother!" Serenity called happily, giving her brother a massive hug.

"Hey sis" smiled Joey. "You look incredible!"

"Thanks! So do you!"

"Well I don't like to brag" said Joey straightening his bow tie. "Where's ma?"

"She's coming shortly" said Serenity. "Where's daddy?"

"He already took his seat, you'll find him after the ceremony."

Suddenly the song changed, and the light above the entrance hall flashed.

"That's me!" said Serenity. "Wish me luck!"

"Knock em dead sis"

Serenity took a handful of flowers, and she and the other girls proceeded to head down the aisle.

His mother arrived moments later after the ushers and the best man arrived. She was wearing the whitest dress Joey had ever seen, including matching shoes and stockings.

"Hey ma" he said kissing her on the cheek. "You look beautiful"

"Thank you Joseph" his mother smiled. "I would have no one else doing this for me."

Joey nodded. He took her arm in his and waited for the light to flash green. New music started playing and then the light flashed.

Taking a deep breath, Joey stepped forward into the sanctuary. He brushed his long blonde hair out of his eyes, remembered to stand up straight and tall in order to look more impressive. Slowly, he led his mother down to where Jack Schneider waited.

The church was magnificent. Probably one of the finest in Brooklyn, proudly built by Irish immigrants in 1862, in the midst of the draft riots during the Civil War. His mother had wanted a bigger, more expensive wedding, so they had it in a more expensive part of Brooklyn. The church was large, wide, and spacious (you could fit a herd of elephants in there). Its grand ceiling was a bright gold and the alter decorated and encrusted with jewels. The cross on which Jesus lay was pure silver. The pews were the only item of antiquity remaining inside the old church (A/N: Churches in New York are nowhere near this extravagant. This was exaggerated to show how expensive and lofty Joey's mom wanted the wedding). Joey thought it was too valuable to be a church, on the contrary, it could be a bank vault.

He noticed as he walked down the aisle how small Jack's side of the family was compared to his mother's. They looked rather grim, filled up only about four or five pews, while Joey's family side looked excited and filled up about twelve to fifteen pews.

_Those duds clearly have never been to an Irish-Catholic wedding before _he thought to himself.

He tried to look calm and poised as he walked down with his mother (several of his cousins gave him a small wink). When he finally reached the altar, his mom kissed him on the forehead, walked up to the stand and awaited the priest.

Joey walked over to the first pew next to Serenity and his cousin Marky. His job now done he knew it was over. Everything he had in Domino was now gone. He watched sadly as the priest went on with his long and boring speech about 'holy matrimony' (whatever that was). His mom and Jack exchanged vows; how eager Jack seemed to look. Tears were in his mother's eyes now. He could feel the energy and tension of his family, their excitement not shared by him at all. He watched as the ring was placed in his mother's finger. He watched as his mother said the fateful words "I do". And through all the clapping, cheering, and smiling Joey simply clapped with them, but without a smidgeon of joy or happiness. He felt as torn and confused than he ever felt before. The time had now come. Would he stay or would he go?

_The Hudson River don't look so bad for a place right beside the biggest city in the US' _

Joey was right outside the church, which happened to lay on the bank of where the East River and the Hudson River emptied into New York harbor. Another reason his mom had chosen this spot for the wedding: the incredible view.

He currently was near the ledge where the lawn dropped off into pebbles and stones bordering the river. He looked at the beautiful New York skyline, his mind at peace. He wasn't thinking much, but his heart felt like a 50 pound dumbbell in his chest. He didn't even need to think anymore. Just sit and appreciate this marvelous day of March 21st and see his future slip away. He didn't feel like interacting with anyone. He just wanted to be alone (though it sounded like a good party back at the church lawn).

That's when he heard a voice behind him.

"Feeling alright Joey?"

He turned around and saw it was his official father-in-law Jack Schneider. Joey frowned, the last thing he needed was this jerkoff coming up to talk to him.

"Not exactly" was the most polite thing he could think of for a reply.

"I figured" said Jack as if he didn't expect much else. He looked out over the river out, to which the Bronx lay on the other side. "You didn't seem alright today, or the past week. In fact I don't think you've been alright ever since you found out I was marrying your mom."

"How'd you guess?" said Joey with an obvious touch of sarcasm.

Jack chuckled to Joey's surprise and sat down next to him still looking out over the river.

"It's only natural I understand that. Introducing a new person in your strong family, notably the one who's supposed to take up the role of the father, is never easy. But the one thing I've never understood is why you feel so hostile towards me?"

Joey looked at Jack now. "How'd you know?"

"I wasn't born yesterday Joey. Simple as that."

Joey couldn't argue with that. He did not want to talk to Jack at all, but he thought he might as well put the record straight now that it was out in the open. He sighed and chucked a pebble into the river.

"Hey Jack, it's a different reason than you think. I thought you might hurt my mom, but I knew deep down you weren't that kinda guy. Then I thought you were a pretty boy asshole. That turned out to be wrong too. Funny thing is, it wasn't you directly that I hated. It was the fact the my insecure mother was marryin you. She wants me and my sista to live with you and her, here in Brooklyn. All cuz she was marryin a stand-up guy. Not cuz she wanted me back for real. All she wants to fucking do, is just prove she's gotta better life than my dad. But the sad part is that I can't even say no to her."

He paused and looked down.

"Don't get me wrong, I love Brooklyn, I love New York. It'll always be the place where I grew up. It's my roots. But I have a different life now. I got friends and family in Domino. It's too important to me now. Fuck it, I don't wanna live with her. I said it, I don't wanna live with her. But does that make me a bad son? Cuz it sure as hell does. And that's why I can't turn her down." He buried his head in his knees.

Jack didn't say anything for a minute. Then, "Joey believe it or not, I know what it's like to be in your shoes."

Joey raised his eyebrows and looked at Jack. "Really? You're not pullin my leg?"

Jack smiled and said, "Nope, I'm not. When I was eleven my parents divorced. I lived with my mom for a number of years. My dad was a bum and never mounted to anything. That is until he won the fifty million dollar lottery."

Joey whistled. "Goddamn."

"I know" Jack laughed. "Lucky bastard he was. It changed everything. He married a supermodel, bought a mansion. Everything he knew he would never have he now did only because he had the right numbers on a piece of paper. He came to my mom asking to have me and my younger sister, full custody and everything. A sister which by the way, I protected non-stop by the way" he added winking.

Joey chuckled. "So what did you do?"

"Well like you I was torn. I loved my dad. Despite my father's mistakes he still loved me and only wanted to make up for lost time. But my mother was a strong woman. She cared for me and kept me out of trouble. She didn't want me to leave and she wouldn't let me. Not that I wanted to leave. Boy did she fight like hell for me in court" he added with another laugh.

Jack paused, picked up a stone and chucked it. His brown hair waved in the breeze.

"The point I'm trying to make Joey is don't let false guilt or other people make decisions for you. No matter how divided you might be, you have to decide for yourself what you want in life."

Joey felt something stir inside of him. A feeling that this was somehow familiar. Then he realized that this was the same exact advice he had given Yugi not a week before.

"Don't let your mother bully into something you don't wanna do. That's why you're so troubled. But let me tell you this. I love your mom very much. It's why I married her. But I knw her now, she's been hurt and it's affecting her judgment. Don't give in to her. You are your own man, and no one else's. I can keep your mom busy. But whether you want to come and live with us is entirely up to you."

Joey thought for a moment. He mused heavily this time. He knew what he wanted to do. He could not go with his mom. He wanted to stay in Domino; in fact he had never really wanted to go back to Brooklyn. And it was about time he said so.

He stood up and peered over to where the Atlantic Ocean began the two rivers ended.

"I'm sorry mom" he said aloud. "I can't stay here"

He looked at Jack, who had also stood up. He felt the awkwardness of the situation.

"Hey uh Mr. Schneider…"

"Call me Jack, Joey."

"Jack" he continued. "I'm sorry about all this misunderstanding. You're a really cool guy. You helped me out a lot today. And I hope we keep in touch after this."

He held out his hand. Jack smiled and shook it.

"Thanks Joey."

Joey took a deep breath, stretched his arms, fixed his bow tie and said, "What'd ya say we get back to the party?"

"You read my mind" smiled Jack. He put his arm around Joey's shoulder and together, they set off back to the wedding enjoying the first day of Brooklyn springtime.

"You know what's also funny about all this?"

"What?"

"Your mom and I were planning on moving to Manhattan anyway due to my job."

"Jesus Christ..."


End file.
